His Perfect Queen
by HollyEmpire00
Summary: As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, some Arthas/Jaina, angst! Reviews wanted! Unbeta'd.
1. Chapter 1 Now, It Begins

His Perfect Queen; an Arthas Menethil Love Story

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 17/02/12: **Updates will be every week for this story at the moment until further notice, thank you for all your patience, bear with me, I'm having a little internet trouble at the moment. Thank you all for your support! Also, my other stories will be updated every two or three weeks :P

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 1; Now, it Begins…

The Icecrown Glacier of Northrend. It is known now as a place of unprecedented evil and as the source of the devastating power that controls the Scourge. The thick, almost impenetrable fog of dark cloud that surrounds the peak is nature's own warning of the horror that waits at the top. The small rays of white sunlight that peek through these folds cast a false image of reality; a pure light in the darkness. For atop the icy glacier, seated on a throne like a king was death itself in a human form. The Lich King.

For many years, the Frozen Throne sat unfilled, the bitter cold surrounding its home too much for any traveller, be it the dwarves settled on Northrend's coast or otherwise. For so many years he waited for his champion, for the one who would come and set him free.

He waited for many, many decades, what seemed to be an eternity in imprisonment, until He was born. The child that had hair like sun-spun gold and eyes the colour of the richest hazel; a child borne of the highest; a child of pride, of honour, valour and the kindest heart; but with a hidden darkness locked away within him. The son of a great king, who would one day be a king himself.

In the few years to come he watched over the child as he grew. He grew strong; in both mind, body and spirit. His master, a paladin of the Silver Hand, never suspected that there could be such darkness within this child, the heir to a kingdom of such light. Rest assured, this darkness was there and it grew, unnoticed by the people around him as he grew older, wiser and stronger. Until, one day, the air that surrounded the icy region of Northrend began to grow colder once again.

Having him fight against him at first was expected. Being the son of the king, it was the child's very purpose to fight against the threat to his kingdom. There was little use, and he suspected that the boy knew it deep down, though he didn't show it. He didn't mind his champion-to-be fighting the forces he'd soon be commanding, as he could be tested, trialled against the best he could offer.

When the time was right, he called to him; led him to the icy shores of his domain where he had pursued a wretched dreadlord demon. What he had not expected was that dwarf, that red bearded midget, to be a friend, let alone a mentor to his knight. Indeed he was, and that only made his victory all the sweeter when that dwarf, Muradin, led his champion right to him.

The sword was the key. It always had been. When he had thrust it from his icy prison, he had sent it to its resting place with the purpose of his knight being the one to take it. Of course, the price was a heavy one, the taking of something dear to him. The soul of that dwarf had done nicely. He had been too narrow minded to see the reality. And when the prince finally attained the sword gifted to him, Frostmourne, the very light was ripped from him, his soul bound to the sword, and that darkness that had lain dormant for so long was set free upon the world.

He doesn't know why he did not order his champion to seek him out while he was lost in the blizzard ridden land as he slowly became inhuman. Things would have been so much easier if he had. So much precious time could have been saved. Perhaps it was because he wanted to see the power that this child possessed; he wanted to see him wield it against his own kingdom. Perhaps it was because he somewhat enjoyed seeing his champion's sanity slowly slip away as he whispered to him through the runeblade.

When his knight finally returned to Azeroth, he took pleasure in watching from his frozen homeland as the little prince betrayed his own father, murdering him on his throne, before wreaking havoc on the land, destroying everything and making way for a new order of darkness and decay.

The Scourge was ruthless, but by his champion's command it was even more so. They hunted their prey with such a cold-blooded hunger that it was almost unnerving to him. His champion had strength. A lot of it; and he was not afraid to use it. So when he finally realised that by sending the sword to the child, his own powers were diminishing, he sent for his champion's aid.

They lost Lordaeron as a result of his power waning over that blasted banshee, the one his champion had created from the soul of an old friend, and with his knight's power fading there was little choice but to let them keep the city. It was a great loss, and in the escape they had lost what few faithful members of the Scourge they'd had in the area, but that was nothing but a fraction of the forces they had. And with his knight moving across the countryside towards the coast, he gathered more and more followers on his journey.

That necromancer; his loyal follower and believer, he had never been so thankful that he was in his service until he had saved his champion from death at the hands of that vengeful spirit, that banshee queen. It was regrettable that he had been left to deal with resisting the uprising in the land of Azeroth that used to be his champion's kingdom, but it was unavoidable.

He needed his knight at his side as soon as possible, for there was another that journeyed north towards his territory, one who threatened to destroy him in the name of his ancient creator. The demon hunter, the prince of the fallen Highborne elves and sea witch of those vicious naga; the three of them were a deadly combination. Had he not sent his long time servant, the king of the arachnids, to aid his champion, he may not have survived, let alone have reached him in time.

The battle at the base of the glacier was one he remembered somewhat bitterly. Oh, the torment of seeing the enemy getting closer and closer to his final haven. The closer they got to securing the obelisks, the keys to the gate, the more he power he sent to his champion, aiding him the best he could in the fierce struggle. Finally, when the demon hunter fell into the blood soaked snow, his champion victorious, and the battle for the obelisks won by his army; he breathed a sigh of relief from his prison atop the icy glacier.

The time had finally come. He remembered the torment his knight suffered as he climbed the icicle lined steps to his throne, the memories of the dead swirling in his mind. The moment he had been waiting for was finally at hand, when he would unite with his master and meet his destiny; but all he could think of were those that had died in order for him to achieve this goal, of those who would oppose him, of those who he had stepped over to get to the finish line. When he at last set foot on the top stair of the peak, his mind was clear. The thoughts seemed to vanish as he saw the Frozen Throne for the first time, his armoured master imprisoned within its crystal structure.

Ner'zhul, his master and lord was in front of him and he was victorious; Ner'zhul was triumphant, his champion and death knight, Arthas, before him.

When the ice finally cracked under the force of Frostmourne's strike, and when the helm finally fell to the snow covered stone, there was silence in Northrend. As Arthas Menethil, crowned prince of the land that was once Lordaeron, lifted the helm of Ner'zhul to his head, the freezing metal sliding over his dirtied, platinum blonde hair, the land beneath his feet began to stir.

One second…two…three seconds…and then a great, booming, triumphant voice…

'_**Now, we are one!**_'

And with that, the greatest evil known to man was reborn once again. The Lich King sat on his throne at the pinnacle of Northrend, the runeblade Frostmourne by his side, wearing the armoured helm of Ner'zhul, the master of the Scourge. They were one; Lord of the Undead, one of the most powerful entities to walk the earth. Their reign of terror had begun

And no one could stop them.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

When the shockwaves of power radiated across the world, the army of the Scourge stopped in its tracks as it made its camp on the western coast of the Plaguelands. Kel'Thuzad looked north, his skeletal hands clenching and unclenching with excitement at his sides. Prince Arthas had won; he had been victorious over that wretched dark elf demon lord, Illidan. Wringing his hands together the necromancer held his head high, his magic working to raise his voice, and addressed the surrounding army.

"**Our leader, Prince Arthas has been victorious in his quest to the north!**" he cried, throwing his arms wide. "**He is now one with our lord and master; Ner'zhul and his champion are one!**" The army began to cheer. Loud roars of exultance echoed across the countryside; the rattling of chains, the beating of drums, the stamping of feet.

Kel'Thuzad allowed himself a quiet moment of reflection over the past few years of tedious work. All of the struggle, the hardship, even his own death had all been worth it. His master, Ner'zhul, and the champion of the Scourge, the death knight Arthas Menethil were one in the same, and the war was as good as theirs.

"**Rejoice, my brothers! For now we shall prevail! Our time has begun!**" Another roar of cheers from the Undead warriors, and the necromancer fell silent.

Kel'Thuzad's long cloak swirled around him as he turned and slipped into the Black Citadel, his thoughts turning to Northrend. He was…concerned somewhat about the next step in Ner'zhul's plan for the Scourge to dominate. While the Lich King was now whole, his spirit resting in a powerful vessel, there was one more thing that needed to be done before they dared to siege Lordaeron again.

They needed to find the one person who could stand beside the Lich King, commanding the Scourge for eternity. In Kel'Thuzad's mind, this had always been viewed as a difficult task. Locating them would have been problematic, and then hunting them down would be even more so. But now that Ner'zhul was freed from his prison, they had an advantage.

Ner'zhul knew where to look.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**17/02/12**

**HOLLY: **Please read and review! Love you all~!

**EDITED 31/01/13**

**EDITED 29/02/13**- added better page breaks!


	2. Chapter 2 The Cold Sun

His Perfect Queen; an Arthas Menethil Love Story

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 17/02/12: **Updates will be every week for this story at the moment until further notice, thank you for all your patience, bear with me, I'm having a little internet trouble at the moment. Thank you all for your support! Also, my other stories will be updated every two or three weeks :P

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 2; The Cold Sun…

As light streamed down through the thick, grey cloud cover over the Icecrown Glacier, the Lich King sat and waited. What he was waiting for, he did not know. He'd realised soon after the demon hunter, Illidan, had been slain that his body would be taken and he would be resurrected. After all, the prince of the fallen kingdom of Quel'Thalas was among them, and with him the remains of their once proud order. That meant that he would soon be healed. Also, the wretched naga, with their dark elf heritage would also have great healers among their sea witches. But no matter; Illidan wouldn't dare attempt to try and overthrow him so soon after his defeat, no, he would retreat and gather his forces.

The air atop the mountain-like glacier was bitter cold and harsh, but he felt nothing. He was Undead to the core; there was no mortal feeling left in his body. He was but an entity with a shared conscience, a joining between man and immortal; between Arthas and Ner'zhul. Between the two of them, Arthas was the dominance. He demanded power, and he got it. While the two were together, one being, they were still…separate in a way.

'_This place…' _Arthas thought, his icy blue eyes surveying the land and sea below. '_At first it seemed…damned. But now it seems so…'_

'…_quiet?_' Ner'zhul commented, his wispy voice echoing through their mind. '_It's somewhat peaceful, isn't it?'_

'_Yes,_' Arthas was quite surprised at the answer. It was true. For all of Northrend's icy ferocity, when all was said and done, it was calm and rather beautiful. The wind whistled through the hair hanging over his shoulders and he let out a breath, the air clouding in front of him.

They had been seated upon the Frozen Throne for many days now. Arthas had lost count of how many times night had fallen over Northrend, only to disappear when the sun rose and shone through the clouds with its white rays. Arthas could see the bright light shining down upon him, but he could not feel it. '_The sun may be bright here, but it is not warm,_' he mused, '_that is strange._'

'_The sun here shines brighter than it does in anywhere else, but the deep cold that this place emits does not allow the heat to reach us. So, I suppose the sun does not bother to try and warm this place, and in exchange for heat, sends more light. The extra heat is probably sent to other places. Like Azeroth, for example.' _Ner'zhul replied, his tone thoughtful.

Arthas chuckled. '_That would explain the harsh summers we used to have in Lordaeron._'

Small flakes of snow fell from the sky, landing over the ancient stone platform that had been built into the glacier. A single, perfect snowflake landed on Arthas' hand and he lifted it to his face, looking through his helm with those cold eyes to admire it. '_It's beautiful…how is it that something so small and perfect can exist in such a place?_'

In the back of his mind he could sense Ner'zhul's amusement. '_Even in the most desolate of places, the most incredible flower can bloom, Arthas._' He spoke astutely, his ancient voice layered with wisdom. '_Such as here, in a place where the snow and ice rule over the delicate balance of life could there be such a perfect, delicate phenomenon such as the snowflake in your hand._'

Arthas snorted in amusement. Of course he'd say something like that. Arthas closed his fist around the snowflake, and it flattened immediately into a small pile of snow. When he opened his hand, it joined the rest of the snow at his feet, He breathed out heavily. '_Why are we still here, master? We have conquered the parts of Northrend that were taken from you, defeated all of the enemy forces and have done nothing since. I may have left Anub'arak in charge of the Scourge down below, but I'm anxious to get back to my men._'

'_Ah,_' the ancient spirit smiled in the back of his mind, '_you wish to travel back to Azeroth… to regain Lordaeron as soon as possible…am I right?_'

Arthas didn't even have to admit the truth; Ner'zhul already knew that he was right. Their shared consciousness prevented them from keeping their feelings hidden. '_While my father was a corrupted fool, it does not feel right to have his kingdom in the hands of that banshee and the legion's pets._' He spat bitterly.

'…_the dreadlords do not have any claim over the Plaguelands any longer, Arthas.' _Ner'zhul told him softly, '_While you were fighting your way through the underground kingdom of the arachnids, Sylvanas Windrunner, the banshee you speak of, was overthrowing the dreadlords and usurping the throne of what was once Lordaeron. The dreadlords are no more. She is now the queen of the Plaguelands._'

'_What!' _Arthas yelled. His rage was building. '_How dare she take Lordaeron for her own? What could that witch be up to! I cannot believe I used to regard her as any friend of mine! She shall pay for this! Lordaeron is mine and mine alone!_'

'_Patience, young one._' Ner'zhul warned; his voice firm. '_Kel'Thuzad is gathering the forces from the fallen and is building a resistance against Sylvanas. The others that were scattered over Azeroth are joining him. We shall regain Lordaeron soon, child, but there is much we must do before that._'

There was momentary silence in their shared mind, and Arthas felt the truth in his words. His master was right. They could regain Lordaeron soon enough, but… '_Master, what must we do?_' the prince asked curiously. What was left to be done? Arthas could think of nothing that was left unattended. The forces in Azeroth were led by Kel'Thuzad, and were gathering together. The forces here in Northrend were being overseen by Anub'arak and his followers. Illidan and his forces had been neutralised for the moment and the rest of his bases on the island eliminated. Any survivors found were slaughtered. There was nothing else.

The spirit of Ner'zhul smiled, slipping forward in their conjoined mind, his shadowy hand reaching out to his knight. '_We must travel east, young prince…to the eastern kingdom beyond Azeroth…Elemire…_'

'_Elemire?_' Arthas asked incredulously. '_I remember…when I was young my father sent out an expedition to find the land of Elemire, and they returned not three years ago. They came back with many things from their trades, but they claimed that there was no use in returning. They had given them all they ever would. It's said they're-_'

'_Completely neutral, yes._' Ner'zhul cut off the young prince. '_They are, young one. They have several…ideals that, years ago, I would have found quite admirable. Given the times, however, I believe they are…rather tedious to maintain._'

Arthas thought for a moment. '_What…kind of ideals do you speak of?_' he asked tentatively. He wasn't sure what to expect.

Ner'zhul chuckled dryly. '_They have sworn never to interfere in the affairs or conflicts of any other land, and to be entirely neutral in all campaigns. They also have sworn never to war with any other continent. They won't fight anyone, but they still maintain complete military forces…and they won't side with anyone, preferring to keep to themselves and their own affairs._' Arthas was confused at this notion. Why would this be a tedious thing to maintain? If a nation was completely at peace and would not fight alongside any nation, what would be the-

-Suddenly, he realised.

'_Ah, so that's how it is. As they haven't fought alongside anyone, or fought at all, maintaining their military forces to full capacity must be difficult when everyone expects there to be peace forever. That is rather tedious._' Arthas smirked inwardly.

'_No, Arthas, that's not it._' His other half told him softly, his tone layered with amusement. '_Although that is quite a valid point.' _Ner'zhul suddenly felt Arthas' confusion. He didn't know what else could possibly be wrong with this…

'_It's quite simple really,_' Ner'zhul commented lightly, '_I just believe that it would be difficult not to become involved with the conflicts of other nations. If they ever were to be attacked, they would be obligated to fight purely for defence purposes, but they could not go to war because of their ideals. They have always maintained that if attacked, they will simply strive for peace, and fight in order to protect themselves until it occurs; never fighting back. Also, being a completely self-sufficient nation, they do not necessarily need to trade. Elemire is a fairly large continent, and trading between national areas is common. Occasionally they trade their finery with some parts of northern Azeroth, but other than that they do not have anything to do with us._

'_This is strange because Elemire does not have the variety of grain and livestock that Azeroth does, and if they were going to be maintaining full military forces, it's easy to assume that they would need some kind of external force to support them with supplies. This, however, is not the case in their minds. To them, they can develop perfectly fine on their own. Even after numerous attempts by both Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron for a union of allegiance, they have blatantly refused every offer, even though it would mean a huge expansion in imports, exports and knowledge. I believe it's a waste of time resisting change. Their ideals are simply not up with the times of the day._'

Arthas was quite surprised at his lord's answer, as well as his obviously widely ranged knowledge on the subject, although it all made perfect sense to him. It is easy for a nation to say that they will only fight in defence of themselves and that they are completely peaceful, but there will always be those who wish to seek the knowledge and produce, and even though they say that they do not need the change that comes with trade, it would be difficult for the land's ruler to put off the eventual need for more. Arthas smirked in realisation.

'_Mortals are greedy, murderous beings,_' Arthas began, '_they constantly desire more than they truly need. As Elemire is self-sufficient, everything moves in circles, and their own advancements must come all too eagerly for those who desire change. There are always some who would wonder what it would be like to know the knowledge that other nations have, to share their creations with other places. If this were to start, if trading were to suddenly flare up, then the people of Elemire would begin to demand more and more, their greed being too much for them after so long being self-sufficient. They would demand more contact with other lands in order to gain more, be it knowledge, advancements, magic, supplies or whatever else they may want. Also, it could lead to other kingdoms taking advantage of its exports, whether it be weaponry or supplies, and in war it would be all too easy to manipulate a kingdom that is so far away into sending more support supplies. And, if the enemy were to get wind of this, it would lead them to attack Elemire, as it would be an 'ally' of another nation, thereby rendering its ideals faulty._'

'_Very good, young prince._' Ner'zhul was pleased with his vessel. He truly was an intelligent one. '_That is why they are self-sufficient, and why they do trade, but only every few years and only things that are beneficial to their nation, only things that are similar to their own developments._' The Undead lord chuckled. '_The king has a great influence over his people if he can keep the land in constant peace._'

There was silence between them for a moment. The Lich King slowly breathed out in the cold air, his breath fanning out before him in a fog. Arthas took this small silence as the opportunity to think on what he'd just been told. Why was Ner'zhul telling him this? Did he need to know the politics of this place? What was so significant about Elemire? Perhaps it was to gain more troops from a land completely untouched by the Undead. Or it may be to infiltrate their capital and take have a banshee take control of their king, or kill him and have a necromancer raise him from the dead. Whatever it was, he wasn't sure.

'_The best thing to do when you are unsure is to ask, Arthas,_' Ner'zhul was still amused. Everything about this boy amused him, he was good company after many years of being stuck inside of an icy prison.

Arthas breathed out heavily through his nose, the air freezing and fogging before him. '_Master, why are you telling me this?_'

Ner'zhul breathed out slowly before he spoke. '_We are travelling to a foreign land. I thought it would be good for you to know the basics of their everyday politics and lifestyle._'

'_And why are we going to Elemire? For power? For reinforcements before we head for Lordaeron? Or is it for something else, are we after something else entirely?_' When Ner'zhul was silent, Arthas knew he had guessed right. '_What are we after master? Is it some sort of artefact, or jewel, or we-'_

'_Yes, Arthas, it is a jewel._' The Lich replied, his voice calm and serious. '_In Elemire, we will find a jewel, one like no other. It is said that it is unimaginable to any that have not seen it, and we will need it if we wish to conquer Lordaeron again._'

'_A jewel?_' Asked the prince a little curiously, '_What jewel do we seek?_'

'_Like I have told you, the jewel is like no other. We will find it in the capital city of Hervana,_' Ner'zhul spoke with a hint of something that Arthas couldn't quite place. '_There we will find the Jewel of Elemire._'

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**17/02/12**

**HOLLY: **Please read and review! Love you all~! The next chapter will be up sometime next week!

**EDITED: 31/01/13**

**EDITED 29/02/13**- added better page breaks!


	3. Chapter 3 He Descends

His Perfect Queen; an Arthas Menethil Love Story

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 05/04/12: **I am so sorry this took so long for me to update! I only just finished it after a long, drawn out period of writers block! I've been writing like mad these school holidays, so I hope I won't disappoint any of you. The updating will quite possibly be a little jumbled, but I'm going to try and get these out when I write them, unless I write a few chapters in a heap…can't have them out too soon, right?

Thank you for all of your support. I only received a few reviews, but the ones I did receive I was insanely happy to receive. Here are my answers to you, because I never leave my reviews, alerts or favourites unanswered :P.

PS; I would like to dedicate this chapter to **eternalenergy** who was the first to review this story =] thank you so much! I'd also like to give a shout out to **Frostfyre**, who is my first question reviewer. I hope I can satisfy you =]

**ctiygirl**; thank you for your support!

**eternalenergy**; I would just like to say that I really appreciate that you took the time to review; thanks! I was hoping that I got Ner'zhul's characterization right, I mean, I didn't want him to be too dominating, but I didn't want him to be just a little whisper-y thing either, you know? You don't hear much of his at all in this chapter though… oh well, more in the next one! I'll try and keep up the good work.

**Frostfyre**; I love it when people ask questions. I actually am a great lover of ArthasxJaina, and I don't like separating them either. The truth is, with this story, Arthas is still in love with Jaina, down in the deep depths of his heart. He doesn't ever stop loving Jaina; that's something that I just want to let you know about. This isn't a story where he just up and falls in love with a random girl he meets; it's a story about Arthas battling between his love for Jaina, his duty as the Lich King and the fact that ultimately, he will have to kill Jaina to allow himself to rule. Oh, and the relationship between Arthas and the OC will be a little different to what you may think; _Ner'zhul _is the one who asks Arthas to seek it out. It's gonna be interesting. Please, just give it a shot. Please? I promise I won't disappoint you; there will be some ArthasxJaina in here.

**BrodieG; **I appreciate your support. Thanks for the alert!

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 3; He Descends…

In the shadow of the infinitely tall Icecrown Glacier, four stone obelisks glowed with a strange, blue light. Illuminating the vast forces that surrounded the high, tower-like structure, they were as intimidating as they were fascinating. At the very top of the makeshift Black Citadel, Anub'arak looked up at the frozen mountain, his nerubian guards close behind him in the halls of the fortress.

"My Lord…" A quiet, raspy voice called from the shadows. Anub'arak turned his great head to look down at the tiny creature. He was one of the young ones, a simple, low ranked nerubian soldier, and by the look of him, one of those sent with the raiding parties, sent to purge the surrounding ice-land of the demon-hunter's remaining forces. The great Crypt Lord inclined his enormous head to the small one, allowing him to speak. "We've completed the task you assigned us; all those who served the night elf hybrid and his companions have been eliminated and their bases levelled to the ground. We left no stone unturned, as was your wish." The webspinner lowered itself to the ground in the Nerubian form of a bow of respect, and Anub'arak let out a loud sound of satisfaction.

"This pleases me, young one. Return to your barracks and sincerely thank your squadron on behalf of me. This is excellent news." He returned to the large window, his deadly pincers clacking together in a gleeful rhythm. The lowly webspinner scurried from the room, its head bowed low. As the final resistance to the reign of the Scourge in the land of Northrend was decimated, there were no more worries for their King when he returned from the glacier.

It had been many days, many weeks since they had last had any word from the Icecrown Glacier. When Anub'arak himself had approached the entrance to the glacial tunnel that led to the mountain, he had found evidence of the battle between Ner'zhul's champion and the enemy leader, the wretched night elf demon-hunter Illidan Stormrage. While there was no body, the sheer amount of the night elf's blood splattered against the cold, white surface of the snow was enough for the great spider to know that their enemy was gravely wounded, if not very close to death's door.

The arachnid knew that Arthas had ascended to the peak of the glacier; the fact was made clear soon after the battle for the obelisks was won, when a great shockwave of power had emanated from the pillar of ice. The surrounding mountain had been decimated by it, the Frozen Throne now open to the air, shining atop the Icecrown Glacier through the thick fog of clouds that surrounded it. While their leader had been absent, in preparation Anub'arak had busied the men in fortifying their large, hurried base surrounding the obelisks. Even after a few weeks, there were many buildings unfinished, and their champion had not returned from the throne.

Anub'arak left the room, his guard scuttling along behind him. There was still much to be done before Arthas returned, whenever he was going to be returning. The fallen king entered the bustling streets of the temporary city that had been constructed on the dark blight that covered the ground. Thin layers of snow covered the odd section of street, but otherwise it was worn down by hundreds of trampling feet and wheels, or it was simply burnt away from the buildings by the tendrils of arcane magic surrounding them.

As he trampled down the makeshift street, Anub'arak spied the gargoyles at their watch posts, frozen into solid stone at their perches. Acolytes of all kinds scurried between buildings, going about their usual mischievous business, while abominations were helping the smaller ghouls with lumber harvesting. The frost wyrms had retreated into a nearby mountain, where the great undead crystal dragon, the Lord Sapphiron, was nesting with his minions, the blue dragons and the dragonspawn. Since their King had ascended the glacier, they had been receiving more and more troops from the bowels of the caves of Northrend. Many of the dark, undead creatures had joined them. Many acolytes that had fallen from the Lich King's favour had re-joined them, feeling the call of their master even from the deepest bowels of the underground.

Carrion beetles scuttled around his enormous form as he made his way through the street, overseeing the current workings. Nothing was any different from yesterday.

Arthas' steed, Invincible, had been restless ever since her master had been gone. The noble undead mount would not allow even the highest Lich near her; instead she had been herded into a snowy, makeshift stable where she sulked and trotted around proudly, waiting for her prince's return. Anub'arak passed by her confine, inclining his massive head in respect to the powerful undead creature. She had carried their champion most of his mortal life, and even in death she rode with him. The mare was greatly respected.

As he drew closer, Invincible stopped her furious cantering around her corral and lifted her proud head, as if daring the Crypt Lord closer. "I shall not disturb you, young one." He told her, the carrion beetles scuttling in front of him, acting as some kind of a futile and unnecessary barrier between them. "I only wish you thanks for all you and your master have done for us, in life and in death." Invincible snorted snootily, as if she understood, but he paid no mind and continued. "When he returns, y-"

The penetrating sound of a horn sharply split the air.

Anub'arak looked towards the centre island of the camp, where no buildings stood, and only the entrance archway to what once was the mountain that held the Frozen Throne stood. That horn was the alert that there was movement from the glacier! Their champion was returning!

The great arachnid hurried towards the centre of the large camp, stamping over anything in his path, whether it be a carrion beetle or another unfortunate undead. The camp was scurrying now, abominations lumbering off the road, gargoyles shifting from their posts, banshee's floating ominously across the path towards the archway. Undead warriors crept as close as they dared to the gateway, and Anub'arak forced his way through the crowd, his Nerubian guards only managing to keep his pace. Lich joined him on either side, their rich green and blue robes fluttering in the almost non-existent breeze.

All was silent. Not even the lowliest dead stirred in the camp as they waited with bated, ghastly breaths.

Anub'arak could feel it; the presence of something great, just beyond the icy arch. Their knight, no, their King was emerging, finally after weeks of waiting. He could hear footsteps on the great, ice steps of the Icecrown Glacier, soft, but somehow heavy in is ears. The fallen Nerubian king lifted his great head, his eyes trained on the icy stairs that lead to the throne.

An armoured figure descended the final steps onto the snow, slowly, almost leisurely. A slight frost covered the slightly tarnished silver-grey of the great champion's armour. His footsteps were strong, confident as they descended the icy staircase, before they fell almost silently into the snow. A long, dusky cloak fell from his broad shoulders, billowing behind the figure in the icy wind. The great runeblade, Frostmourne, sat proudly at him hip, the hilt peeking out from behind the folds of his cloak. The helm of the Lich King sat upon his head; the great sapphire set into the helm gleaming almost in delight. Those ice blue eyes glowed from beneath the helm, his white hair, encrusted with frost, fell over his shoulders like a thin curtain. He stopped just inside the glacier's gateway, looking out over the army of undead before him.

Their king, their lord, their master had returned.

Anub'arak was the first to bow. He lowered his great, hulking form to the ground, closing his eyes. The sound of the dead shifting filled the air as they moved to bow before the Lich King, each one falling to their knees or inclining their great heads in respect for their master. Arthas and Ner'zhul watched on, their head raised proudly, almost arrogantly.

When all were finished their heads bowed or their bodies kowtowed on the ground, he spoke into the silence. "I have returned from the glacier; I spent many days there, listening to the voices from beyond. I have returned now to lead you once again; to lead you, my faithful servants, in war against the living!"

A cheer arose within the crowd, small at first but getting bigger, until there was a roar of bellowing beasts and screaming scourge. Arthas basked in the sound for a while, then held up a hand. There was silence one again. "Tonight, we shall rejoice for our victory over the half-elf Illidan and his following; for our victory over the naga and the pitiful survivors of the High Elves. Tonight is the time for celebration; tomorrow, we begin our preparation to crush those who betrayed us! The witch Sylvanas Windrunner will fall! We will crush her and send her back to the abyss from whence she came! The time is now! We will prevail!"

The army of scourge erupted in their boisterous cheers; the gargoyles cackling and screeching; abominations roaring at the top of their lungs as they blundered around; the remainder of their banshees screaming at the top of their lungs, their wispy bodies swaying in the wind. Anub'arak finally raised his head to look upon his King, and inclined it as he strode towards him, stepping aside for him. The crowd parted like a wave to let him through, his long strides strong and purposeful in the snow. Anub'arak followed close behind him, his pincers clacking in excitement. The carrion beetles at his feet were leaping in joy, fluttering their tiny wings and screeching.

Arthas looked back over his shoulder at the fallen Nerubian King. "Tomorrow, we discuss our preparations for leaving this place."

"My lord?" He asked, startled. "Leave Northrend so soon?"

"Yes, Anub'arak; we must leave these shores in search for another place." He was silent for a short while as he swept towards the massive Black Citadel in the centre of their incomplete city. "But we can discuss more of this tomorrow; as I said, tonight is for celebration. Tomorrow is for talk."

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**05/04/12**

**HOLLY: **Please read and review! You know how much I love it! One of the reasons I write is to entertain, but also to put all of the little ideas running around my head into words. If I didn't do that…I don't know what would happen! *blanch…*

So! The more you review, the more I write. Everyone knows that. It's common fact. SO! If you want to see more (it'll get more interesting in the next few chapters, I promise) then please, review and tell me what you think! I'm open to both constructive criticism and ideas. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me what you don't like, but don't completely rat out my writing, I am greatly opposed to flamers. =]

Thanks again!

**EDITED 29/02/13**- added better page breaks!


	4. Chapter 4 His First Orders

His Perfect Queen; an Arthas Menethil Love Story

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 17/01/13: **Alright…the time is finally here. I have three chapters other than this ready to post, but just so you don't get too excited I'm going to be posting them on fortnightly intervals. I am incredibly sorry for the delay on this; I will be writing more chapters and keeping ahead of myself from now on; Hope I can keep up to standard!

Thank you for all of your support. I just wanted to thank all of you who have stuck by me through this massive session of non-posting. And I would like to thank those who reviewed recently :)

PS; I would just like to dedicate this chapter to **avp **who is a forum friend of mine here of . He was the one who gave me the inspiration for this chapter here; and the ones that follow. Thank you **avp~**!

I would also like to thank the following people below for their contributions via reviews and favourites, etc. Thank you all!

**Lemarteskun- **Thank you for your review! I've always thought that too; that's why I'm writing this I guess XP

**StormRaven333- **Wow, thank you so much! It's good to hear that you think so highly of the story; this is just getting started; after my recent writing I think this is going to get a bit long. I'm so glad that you commented on their relationship! I was really thinking about keeping the 'master-student' relationship thing going, but I didn't want to make it too submissive. More kind of like working together. You'll see that in the next few chapters. Keep reading!

**eternalenergy- **Yay! A repeat reviewer! Thanks again :)

**Plague's Vengeance, Skarvald, GaarasMyBoyzz, PaintedxWings, Xerilia, Berna45 and Sivven- **I would like to thank you all for your alerts and favourites! They're much appreciated, but I _prefer _reviews! Good to know people are reading though…

One final shout out to **Leyshla Gisel. **I'm not sure which fic you favourited me for, but I'm glad I'm on your favourite authors list! Thanks!

And on with the chapter :)

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 4; His First Orders…

When Anub'arak first saw Arthas the next morning, he was not surprised to see him overlooking their makeshift city. Their king was standing on the balcony of their large, half completed fortress; just out of the throne room. Anub'arak's quarters were in the Black Citadel, until such time as their fortress was completed. But Arthas' chambers had been one of the first things to have been completed. In preparation for their king's quick return, of course.

Arthas looked back over his armoured shoulder at the Nerubian, his icy eyes looking through his helm. "Ah, Anub'arak. It is about time you arrived, I was thinking I may have to send out a search party for you."

The fallen ruler bowed low, his long legs creaking as he lowered his great body. "I apologise, my lord, for my tardiness. I was held up."

"Do not make excuses," The Lich King replied, turning his head back to proudly look out over the city his underlings had painstakingly created for his rule. The beginning of it, that is. "You can make it up to me with your actions. Now…what news can you tell me of our enemies?"

Anub'arak slowly lifted himself to stand once more, releasing the strain on his spidery limbs. His lord seemed to be so different from when he had left to ascend the glacier. Yes, the Nerubian understood that merging with the Lich King had changed him, however…

"Our enemies, my lord?" He asked with a slight chuckle to his tone. "Which ones do you speak of? We have many."

"All of them," The Lich King replied. "We must keep an eye on the enemies that we have, Anub'arak; I wish to know their movements at every turn. I do not wish to have another occurrence like last time." At the mention of 'last time' the Nerubian knew his lord was speaking of the battle of the Icecrown Glacier, when Illidan's forces had nearly succeeded in taking the Obelisk keys from them, preventing Arthas' ascension to the Frozen Throne.

Bowing his great head, the Nerubian's pincers clicked. "But of course, my King."

Anub'arak proceeded to tell his master of the happenings of the world; informing the Lich King of Illidan's retreat back to the Plaguelands. The Demon Hunter had not died after his duel with their king at the base of Icecrown; that was known. He was left alive by the skin of his teeth, and had scurried out of Northrend with his tail between his legs only due to the help of the elf, Kael'thas Sunstrider and the naga witch he had travelled with. The Nerubian sent constant patrols scouring the icy hills of Northrend, searching for any sign of them, or of another attack on their lands.

He spoke of Sylvanas Windrunner and her forces within the Plaguelands, the once rich lands of Lordaeron. The banshee had taken the ruins of the city for her own, and was raising her army within the walls. From what information Kel'Thuzad had sent them, they were calling themselves the 'Forsaken'. She had joined with Varimathras, and defeated both Detheroc and Garithos since he had left for Northrend, taking the city. Kel'Thuzad was holding the resistance of the Scourge within Azaroth, building his own fortress to match that of Sylvanas.

The Lich King informed the Nerubian that he was to make sure that he could get into contact with Kel'Thuzad soon, and Anub'arak was almost surprised at the concern that he seemed to have for his previous homeland, let alone the Lich necromancer. He did not voice it, however. He was not quite that deranged.

He also informed him that Sylvanas had begun to target the lands of Durotar and Theramore in Kalimdor.

"Durotar?" The Lich King asked, "Theramore?" He asked again incredulously, looking back over his shoulder, his eyes a sharp, unnatural blue. "What are these places? I have never heard of these!"

"They have only recently been build, my liege," The Nerubian rumbled, his pincers clicking. "The Alliance between the orcs, dark elves and the humans still exists; and they have been inhabiting the lands of Kalimdor since the battle of…the mountain that you mentioned while we were traversing Azjol-Nerub." The name of his homeland rolled off of his tongue as he mentioned the time when his lord and he had hurried towards the Icecrown Glacier, traversing the ancient corridors of the underground kingdom.

"Ah, you mean the battle of Mount Hyjal," Arthas intoned, turning back to look out over the makeshift city.

"Yes, my king," The Nerubian replied, inclining his head once more in thanks for his king's assistance. "Currently, both of these lands are being attacked by Sylvanas, who seems to have taken control of the remaining human rebels in the Plaguelands. This includes the faction lead by Admiral…Daelin Proudmoore, I believe it was."

Arthas gave a slight shift, rolling his tongue over his teeth, thinking on this new information. "Daelin Proudmoore, you say…" He murmured, his eyes narrowing beneath the great helm of the Lich King. It had been long since he had heard that name; not since he had been mortal, untouched by the words of Ner'zhul. Back when he was a blinded fool to the ways of the world. The Admiral was Jaina's father, and a proud man; as was his name, of course. If he recalled, he was once the ruler of the lands of Kul Tiras, and had served his father in war many times. "Hmm…this will not bode well for us should Sylvanas overtake the forces of Kalimdor…"

'_Jaina is strong…but she is not so strong as to remain unaffected by her father fighting against her_,' Arthas mused, reaching out a gauntleted hand to wrap firmly around the stone doorframe.

'_Perhaps…we should begin to move against Sylvanas a little earlier than planned,' _Ner'zhul replied, his shadowy, melodious voice echoing through their mind. Arthas stood up straighter, his fell ice eyes looking out over the city. While the Lich King's words were tempting, there was much that needed to be done before he attempted to crush Sylvanas for all she had done.

'_No…' _Arthas murmured in reply, lacing his fingers together behind his back. '_I believe that we should continue with the planned time of attack; we should continue to leave Sylvanas' forces to Kel'Thuzad. He is in the prime position for resistance against them, even without the help of the banshee spirits. Any of her mortal forces who may fall he can and will resurrect to join our resistance, now that our power is strengthened once more.'_

Ner'zhul seemed pleased by this, and a wave of approval spread over their shared mindscape. '_Yes…I believe that you have chosen your course of action well, young one,'_ Ner'zhul replied, '_now…you must speak to Anub'arak of the matter at hand.' _Arthas agreed with his other half, and turned his form half way to stare into the Nerubian's eyes.

Anub'arak did not straighten under his lord's frigid gaze, instead stood tall as he had before, keeping his own gaze on the young king's. While he was a creature of an entirely different kind now that he had merged with the Lich King, the Nerubian could not help the thought that Arthas himself was still a child…

His thoughts were interrupted by his lord's words. "Anub'arak; I would like you to continue with the observations of the happenings in both Kalimdor and the…Plaguelands." Arthas began, his eyes glowing as he mentioned the given name of the lands that were once his home. "I would like you to keep an eye on the forces that the people of…Theramore and Durotar encounter. Also, gather any information that you can on Illidan's movements; I want him found as soon as possible. Also, inform Kel'Thuzad that he is to redouble his efforts in defence against Sylvanas, and that he is to 'recruit' as many for the resistance as possible. I will personally send some drakes to aid him in defence."

Anub'arak inclined his great head once more, humming in his compliance. "At once, my lord," he intoned, his tone low and tinged with slight excitement at the notion. "It shall be done."

The Lich King blinked very slowly, before he turned and moved towards the large table to the side of the room. He placed his hands on the gigantic, slightly tattered map that covered it's surface, looking over it with intelligent eyes. While it was somewhat damaged on one side, it was of no consequence. This map was the most accurate of any in any land; after all, Anub'arak had commissioned one of the highly ranked wraith's they had recruited from the depths of the ruins in Northrend to spread her magic over the land and derive a most precise representation of the lands. "There is…one more thing I wish to discuss with you, Anub'arak."

"Anything, my liege," the Nerubian replied, looking up from his bowed position.

"I would like you to ready a large troupe of the best soldiers we have to offer, including wraith's and some of your own troops; along with acolytes to spare." The king began. "Large enough for at least the conquering of a small nation."

The Nerubian blinked in surprise, raising his body up to its full height. This was a rathe unexpected notion. "If I may…be so bold, your highness," the great spider began, "may I ask what this will be for? You have given me your wishes for…all enemies in each land I can think for our interest."

Arthas did not shift his gaze from the parchment on the table, and curled his gauntlet over a spot on the upper left side of the map, his eyes narrowing from behind the helm. He did not acknowledge the question, instead his voice grew harsher. "Get me these troops, Anub'arak," He said in a low tone. "I need acolytes of all ranks, including a few shades. Ordinary forces in a moderate amount; however I will require more gargoyles than usual. I would like you to…supply me with your own forces, including webspinners," He took a deep breath, only then choosing to look back. "I myself shall pursue the forces from the drakes and dragonlings that serve Sapphiron,"

Anub'arak dared not argue, instead lowered his great head, lower than before. Slowly, but in a strong tone that showed his understanding, he replied, "Yes, my liege; as you command."

"And finally," the Lich King intoned, turning back towards the map. "Bring me those of Kel'Thuzad's higher ranking generals; those from the ranks of the Lich that he supplied us with while I was away. I wish to meet with them."

"I shall send for them right away," Anub'arak replied, breathing in deeply. He raised his head and saw his lord's expression. It was seemingly blank to the mind's eye, but to the Nerubian, he saw what he understood to be a look of hunger. His lord was after something; and to his understanding, his lord was ruthless when pursuing what he wanted. "Your will shall be done."

"Yes," the Lich King, lord of the Scourge replied, his lips turning up into a smirk. "Yes, it shall."

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**17/01/13**

**HOLLY: **Please read and review! You know how much I love it! It keeps me going through my usually long strings of writers block! And you KNOW how long those last!

So! The more you review, the more I write. Everyone knows that. It's common fact. I've recently started my last year in mandatory schooling; and my life is getting a hell of a lot busier. Which means I'm going to be delving myself more into my writing as the year goes on. So…bring as many people as you can on board for this story! Please, read, review and recommend! The more reviews my stories get, the more I write!

Hint; next chapter you get some new characters that aren't necessarily new! They are featured in Warcraft 3; if you've actually played it, you may-possibly-sorta-kinda recognize the names as the pain in the ass things you had to beat down like ten times…at least I did.

Oh, and one last thing; while my updates will be in fortnights; this is on the condition that I get at least TEN reviews each new chapter. This number may…grow, hopefully as time goes on :) I need interest! It fuels my imagination!

Thanks again!

**EDITED 29/02/13**- added better page breaks!


	5. Chapter 5 The Congregation of Servants

His Perfect Queen; an Arthas Menethil Love Story

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 28/01/13: **I decided that I will post this story a few days in advance…also because I did not get QUITE enough reviews, I am a little bit bummed. But oh well! Let's home we meet the quota!

I would like to mention; the characters that I have chosen to use in this next chapter I have indeed researched; while I have not actually met them in WoW, I have indeed warped them to my own expectations; and yes, I understand that generally the being of a Lich is exclusively a spell-caster or a necromancer, however I believe that the way I have portrayed them in this story will be alright…

I would like to thank a few people!

**Caerys- **Thank you very much for keeping with me this long! Wow, I didn't think I had a long running fan. I haven't abandoned this; I'm going to finish it! Thank you for your support!

**Plague's Vengeance- **Don't worry about it, I'm glad for the support! Thanks for the review!

Those were…sadly the only reviews I received XP Other than the one I got from **GaarasMyBoyzz. **Speaking of her, I would like to dedicate this chapter to her; for the near two weeks of conversation. Thank you; you made me laugh each day.

Enjoy the chapter!

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 5; The Congregation of Servants…

Hours later, the throne chamber of the half-completed fortress was graced with the presence of the highest ranking Scourge from all sides of their ranks; from the few Frost Revenants, and their undead Wraith servants, to the largest, gruesome looking Gargoyle and the Lich representatives. So too, present, was a single, lone Frost Wyrm, serving as Sapphiron's representative while the great dragon rested from the battle that had passed. It had indeed taken a toll on him.

Anub'arak was also present, along with two rather large webspinners who stayed by his side. A single small carrion beetle sat attentively on his great head, its tiny pincers clacking together as it spoke nearly inaudibly to its father.

When the Lich King made his appearance, what little chatter there was in the hall fell silent. Their king's form, wrapped in a long, dark grey fur cloak that seemed to have come from a breed of gigantic wolf, heavy armour and his glacial eyes, was magnificent indeed. He swept down the steps and towards the great silver throne; one of the first things they had crafted when beginning the fortress. Made from the ancient steel gathered by Frost Revenants from the lower reaches of Northrend's ruins, it was both powerful and imposing.

Arthas sat with a flourish of his cloak that could only have come from his days as the prince of Lordaeron, settling himself on his throne with a poise and intimidating grace that only true royalty possessed. The crowd bowed to their king, lowering their eyes in respect. "Rise." Arthas intoned; his voice was low and cold. Had many of the beings before the king been mortal, shivers would have spilled down their spines. Needless to say; the undead did as they were told.

Anub'arak gave a small incline of his head as he slowly scuttled forward slight to speak, the webspinners moving almost in a slither to stay close to him. Their movements were silent against the ice-stone floor, unlike their Nerubian rulers who practically lumbered across the surface. "Before we begin to discuss the matters that you called us here for, sire, I would like to present to you the Lich that you requested of me," Anub'arak intoned, his voice a low rumble that echoed through the great hall.

Arthas gave a curt nod, his ice blue eyes glinting as they shifted across the crowd to land on the figures of the Lich; robes covering their familiar armour. "Yes; I permit it," he drawled, raising a hand to gesture the three figures forwards. "Step up; I wish to see you."

The three figures glided forwards, their movements easy as if they did not touch the ground. And indeed; they did not. Like their master, their powers were so great that they indeed floated, their fell armour glowing in the light reflecting off the ice that covered the half-built walls. Northrend itself was so cold that not even newly built structures were immune from the ice.

The figures fell into easy, simple kowtowing that would otherwise be called graceful; lowing their forms to the stone before the king's throne. One of them spoke up, raising his head. His eyes flowed a dark fell green through his skeletal eye sockets_**, **_his robes flaring around him as he spoke. "My liege, I would like to offer my thanks for summoning; we have dutifully awaited your orders since our master, Kel'Thuzad told us that we were to serve you directly," The Lich began, his tone filled with reverence. "We humbly serve your will."

Both Arthas and Ner'zhul were pleased with this answer; the Lich were strong, they always had been a high ranking part of the Scourge. Kel'Thuzad being an example. These Lich, however, were not necromancers, from the looks of their attire. They were comprised more of armour than of robe.

"I thank you for your service, young Lich," Arthas replied, knowing what to reply simply from the connection he had with Ner'zhul. "It is good to know that I have servants such as yourself."

The Lich inclined his head, his long cloak falling over his skeletal face momentarily before he rose it again. "My name is Calis Wraithson, my liege," The Lich replied, holding a hand over his chest in respect. "My comrades are Rak Coldskull and Kali'nej Dethknell, and we stand before you ready and willing to serve your every command." Calis gestured to his left and right respectively, to the dark, menacing orange glow coming from beneath Kali'nej's hood, and the dark blue from that of Rak.

Arthas gave a nod, humming to show his appreciation. "Yes…the three of you shall do nicely for what I have planned," The Lich King gestured for them to rise, and the three of them stood, looking up at their lord and master with looks of fell, powerful eyes. "I assume that Kel'Thuzad does indeed have his own Lich other than you?"

"Yes, my lord," the deeper voice of Kali'nej replied, his tone slippery and resonating. Arthas' gaze shifted to him in an instant and he watched the Lich as he spoke. "He kept two of our brethren at his side. The other Lich in existence in turn serve Kel'Thuzad in the Plaguelands, or travelled with us as our own forces."

The Lich King raised his head, looking over the three Lich with interest. So, these were Kel'Thuzad's students. They seemed rather different from the necromancer; indeed, they were different. Their powers were not so much magical, as physical. Kali'nej did indeed possess some skill in casting, however.

'_Kali'nej is indeed a powerful caster,' _Ner'zhul agreed, speaking from the front of his mind. '_I believe that Rak is more accomplished in physical prowess; and is better with single hand spells and close combat. I did…indeed observe their development over the years, just as I did you.'_

'_And what of Calis, master?' _Arthas replied, interested in what his other half had to say. '_What of the third Lich?'_

'_Calis Wraithson…_' the Lich King replied, his tone echoing through their shared mindscape. '_If my memory serves me correctly, then he was once the son of a tactician of the Kirin Tor. He did indeed learn the way of the warlock, however he turned his interests towards tactics, and is a rather accomplished swordsman. I believe that you once faced him in battle while still mortal…here in Northrend.' _Arthas eyed the single sword at the Lich's waist, it's ornate hilt glowing with a fell infused gem.

'_Interesting…yes, I do believe I remember him now…he was indeed a powerful adversary.'_ Arthas replied, turning his head slight.

The Lich's gaze followed his lord as he took in the sight of his lord and master upon the throne. How they all had been waiting for this moment; when they would finally meet their master; the one who had made their second life possible. And now that he had merged with the prince of the fallen land…he was all the stronger; a new being entirely, one whose power exceeded theirs by leagues…

"I would expect nothing less from Kel'Thuzad," the Lich King answered his newest servants, his flowing eyes searching their forms, taking in their strengths. He then turned his gaze upwards to address the crowd of undead Scourge. "I have called you all here this day to inform you of a task that I have found to be of the utmost importance." He began, his voice holding an grave tone, and a slight excitement that set the Frost Wyrm's tail swinging.

"It has come to my attention that there is something that I have yet to do in order to complete my rise to power," Arthas drawled, leaning to place his chin on his gauntleted hand, a rare, slight smile, unseen by the group before him, gracing his lips. "In order for me to reach my full strength, so that I may take back the land that was taken from me by the Banshee Queen, and crush the rebellions arising in Kalimdor, I must travel across the sea to a land that I myself have never seen, in search of an artefact that shall secure my victory over the vermin."

"My lord," one of the Frost Revenants spoke up, gliding forwards with an unearthly grace, his voice layered with the souls of those past. "Where is this land that you seek to go? And what is this artefact that you seek? We shall serve thee and secure it for you…you need not leave the security that is offered here in North-"

The Lich King stood sharply, his glacial eyes flashing dangerously as the Frost Revenant was hit with the sheer force of that gaze. "Silence, fool!" He bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls, shaking the very foundations beneath their feet. "You believe that I would leave such an important matter as the security of my supremacy to mere servants such as you?"

The room fell silent as the Frost Revenant, the image of proud immortality, slowly crumpled to his knees, falling to the ground for what must have been one of the first times in his undead life. "No, my lord," He croaked, his voice hoarse and pained. "No; I would never suggest such a thing, I was simply thinking of your safety."

"Do not so much as _suggest _such a thing again, you imbecile!" The Lich King gestured out a furious hand, forcing the dark creatures before him to cringe and shrink back. The Lich remained where they were, their robes fluttering at the influx in power. The webspinners let out quiet, but high shrieks, skittering back slightly, while Anub'arak stayed deathly still, his pincers shuddering in pleasure at the feel of his lord's power. Arthas had indeed been gifted with great power when he and Ner'zhul had become one.

Arthas was furious. How dare such a lowly creature advocate such a thing? He let out his feelings of distaste and anger inside of the mindscape he shared with the Lich King, and in turn Ner'zhul sent his own annoyance back. '_So not fret, Arthas; he was simply out of turn. I think it is time we told them of our plans…_'

Knowing that his other half was right, Arthas retracted his hands, throwing back his long, furred cloak and glaring down at the infidel with glittering eyes. "I myself will be accompanying you and your troops to a land across the sea, a land known as Elemire."

Murmurs, clicks and squawks fled through the crowd, and all but the Lich remained quiet. They stood and listened to their master, taking in the information the best they could. In the end, Calis was the one who spoke, his tone curious and in awe of his master. "Is Elemire not the land across the sea which claims to be completely uninterested in the notions of war? The land which has been as of recent times, only so much as traded with in exports in return for animosity in the current fighting?"

The Lich King gave a smirk, inclining his head to the young Lich . Intelligent, he was. "Indeed; that is the land of which I speak." Arthas lifted his hands again in a slight gesture towards their southern coast as he spoke. "The land of Elemire is indeed a rich one; they are entirely self-sufficient, and are currently not in conflict with anyone, instead preferring to keep to their own morals and not interfering with the affairs of any nation. It is a land rich in knowledge, fertile land and gold." He chuckled. "It indeed would be a significantly useful land to conquer…however we shall be travelling there for a different reason.

"In the land of Elemire there is an artefact that I require; this…is the key to the survival of our people; the rise of the Scourge and the beginning of a new age for the Undead. This artefact will be the key to taking back Lordaeron, or the Plaguelands as it is now called. It will be the deciding factor in crushing all who oppose us!" He raised his arms out, gesturing to his troops. "Anub'arak shall remain here with the lesser majority of our army, and build up our defences as well as begin to obtain more troops should we need to deploy them. He shall rule in my stead, but under my command while I myself go to this land with those who I have chosen…those of you who stand before me. We shall find it; and we shall take it from them by any means necessary." Arthas looked over the crowd of undead, and turned his head to look out towards the city through the ice wall that had formed on the unbuilt side of the fortress.

"The nation itself shall remain intact; I believe that if we leave the country without needless bloodshed, then perhaps once we have conquered the rest of the world, they shall join us," Arthas gave a low chuckle.

'_More like…they will have no choice,' _Ner'zhul replied, his own dark chuckle joining that of his knight, his vessel.

Anub'arak held himself tall, his beady black eyes brimming in excitement, his pincers shuddering as he spoke. "My king…what is this thing that you seek in Elemire? What is it that will give you the power you seek? Tell us…so that we may know your wishes."

Arthas drew Frostmourne from his side, placing the tip of the blade on the silver at his feet, both of his hands clutching the long hilt of the glowing runeblade. It glimmered in the light that reflected off the almost glassy ice surrounding them, and Arthas' eyes glimmered with a hungry power that could almost not be contained. "We travel to Elemire seeking it's crowning glory; we seek the Jewel of Elemire."

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**28/01/13**

**HOLLY: **Please read and review! You know how much I love it! I will need it; after all, I start school tomorrow and you know how I get caught up in such trivial things!

Just thought I'd mention it again! My updates will be in fortnights; this is on the condition that I get at least TEN reviews each new chapter. This number may…grow, hopefully as time goes on :) I need interest! It fuels my imagination!

I need some inspiration guys! Fuel my mind with reviews! I beg of you!

Thanks again!

**EDITED 29/02/13**- added better page breaks!


	6. Chapter 6 The Solitarius

His Perfect Queen; an Arthas Menethil Love Story

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 12/02/13: **I just managed to get this chapter on, I am however SO tired it isn't funny. I just came back from Music Camp; four straight days of singing and working with the juniors and helping them with singing. My voice is completely stuffed, and I have an audition in two days for a Jazz ensamble…so, don't expect much talking from me in this authors note…

This chapter is dedicated to **Ariaelyne**, who gave me my first correction of the story! We discussed the time problems that were mentioned in the first and second chapters concerning Ner'zhul's legacy as the Lich King; I'm so glad I had that, because it's helped me in the next few chapters! This chapter is for you.

**Amy95200, 782 **and **Firedragon99**, as well as any others who read (I didn't get many reviews…only three, and I'm meant to have more, but thank you for the follows and favourites!)

**Caerys- **Thank you once again!

**GaarasMyBoyz- **Lol, thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter, have you recovered yet? I have, but now my voice is shot from Music Camp…

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 6: The Solitarius…

The wind whistled in his robes as the Lich stood watching over his encampment, his sharp eyes boring out from his flesh-stripped skull and over the desolate landscape below. What little life had been left in the hills of the Plaguelands had most definitely been stripped when he had ordered this camp to be built; the final trees, long dead, being stripped and dragged from the earth to supply his troops with lodgings and places of refuge for some in the day.

Kel'Thuzad was simply thrilled. He had been on a perpetual high since Arthas had ascended the throne; and his troops were no different. In fact, many continued to serve him with more vigour than before, laying down their lives against the wretched 'Forsaken'. Had the Lich been able to grind his teeth, he would have; so instead he simply settled for letting himself feel anger.

Sylvanas Windrunner…the witch had betrayed them. Of course, he had expected at least one rebellion from a higher ranking undead, however it was not anticipated to come from one…quite so high in the rankings Arthas had provisioned. Sylvanas had been deemed a loyal servant, and regrettably that false understanding had been their downfall.

Raising his head high, the necromancer looked out over the large encampment which made up the main branch of his forces, which he had spread over the western coastline of Azeroth, and the inner towns on the western side of the continent.

Slowly, he was encroaching on the people. Those very few who remained, the foolish mortals, he simply recruited for their own; and he intended to find each and every one of the humans before the witch could send her banshees to take them.

Kel'Thuzad let out a small, amused hum, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction. By now, his students would be greeting Arthas, the Lich King himself for the first time. Indeed…they would help Ner'zhul and the ex-paladin quite well in their quest-to-come.

The Lich would be lying if he were to say that he did not know the Lich King's intentions; he had known all along that at some point…the search for the 'Jewel' would come to fruition. It could not come at a better time; with rebellions rising against Arthas' rule in Azeroth in the form of Sylvanas, and the forces in Kalimdor of the elves, the orcs and the final remnants of the human alliance, their lord was in need of great power…and soon.

Calis Wraithson would be a great asset to his king; that Kel'Thuzad knew. He was the best and brightest of his students…if you could call a Lich 'bright'. The other two, while brilliant, intelligent and cunning, were not quite as useful as Calis. Kel'Thuzad had so many times predicted it before; his students would help Arthas on his way to greatness…and with him would rise the Scourge, to finally take its place atop the world where they belonged.

Mortals would soon have no place in this world. And neither would rebellion; the Lich King's rule would be absolute.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

When the Lich King had left his fortress to walk among his servants, it caused quite a stir in the makeshift city below. Their king seemed to almost waltz his way through the streets, his steps carrying him with an air of supremacy and dominance that made many a lowly undead crumble and move back so as not to be seen by their lord.

Arthas himself made his way slowly towards the port that had been practically carved into the glaciers towards the southern side of the glaciers, observing his surroundings as he went. Most of the southern side of Icecrown had been forced underwater, flooded completely by the force his ascension had created. And so, the surrounding un-flooded area was perfect for a harbour, the area curving much like a bay. It was a rather convenient location; after all, the now open sea area led towards the Daggercap bay by a rather large river channel that was just large enough to fit their largest battleships through. The double bayed system would surely work to their advantage in the future.

The Lich King moved rather easily towards the docks, his head held high as he moved. Carrion beetles scuttled around his feet; Anub'arak must have sent them to keep an eye on him, which most likely meant that he was also being guarded from underground by some crypt fiends. Arthas dismissed this as he looked over the new flag ship that was being built in his honour; for the journey ahead.

The skeletal warriors and his ghoul's had been working over two days and nights without end, along with some of Anub'arak's best spinners in order to create this masterpiece.

It was based rather loosely on the elven design of ships which he had always rather admired; Ner'zhul had agreed that the rather sleek, fast design would be useful in a flagship. And so, he supplied a heretic with a simple plan, drawn up in mere minutes, and he had manipulated it and turned it into…this massive, beautiful monstrosity.

'_I believe that the infidel have done a rather appealing job on your transport,'_ Ner'zhul said quietly, hissing out a laugh from one corner of his mind. '_It is…impressive to say the least.'_

Arthas let out a hum as he took in the high masts, black sails, long structure and deep hull. '_Yes…I agree, master,' _He replied, stepping closer to examine his ship. '_I think this will be a rather wonderful vessel to make a statement to the people of Elemire, if anything…and if it is equipped for battle, all the better.' _Arthas gave a slow chuckle after he noticed the large cannon ports.

'_You shall be fine in terms of both combat and stature, Arthas,' _he replied, pushing himself towards the front of their shared mindscape, watching through Arthas' eyes.

As the two of them spoke, Arthas had boarded the ship via a large ramp, his hands clasped behind his wolf-cloaked back as he looked over the ship's exterior. It was indeed of excellent make; for undead. The strongest wood from the icy glacial forests of Northrend had been utilised; most likely some of the wood having been gathered from many leagues away. When webspinners were in charge of building operations, only the best came out as a result.

"Master…" A darkly cloaked acolyte, taller than the rest, moved out of the small line of those upon the ship. He held his hands together under the sleeves of his cloak and bowed his head, his eyes glinting from beneath his hood. The heretic raised his head, his back hunched. "What would you prefer your vessel to be called? It is your flagship, after all," He bowed his head once more. "There is very little left for us to do; we shall be ready to cast off whenever you see fit."

Arthas looked down at the heretic, his eyes a sharp and luminous blue. "Hmmm…yes, I believe that you shall be ready to cast off at my wishes," He replied, turning from him. The king gave a small smile, raising his gaze to the bow of the ship. "The ship shall be dubbed…" Arthas began, his eyes narrowing, "_The Solitarius."_

'_Ah…' _Ner'zhul intoned in amusement, the feeling flooding through Arthas' form. '_Interesting…'solitary, by ones self'. Very astute, young one.'_

Ignoring the Lich, the king turned with a flourish of his cloak, nodding towards the heretic. "Tell the Lich Generals to ready the troops I spoke of yesterday; we shall cast off by morning's light in the morrow." And with that, the Lich King was gone.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

That night, as the few fires burnt in the city below, Arthas sat inside his fortress, in his quarters to be proper. He examined the map the wraith had created, turning a simple navigating tool over the parchment, before he pulled it back; twirling it between his fingers. Ner'zhul's presence seemed to rise from the small slumber he had enacted before nightfall, and he gave a low hum to alert Arthas to his presence, not that he needed it.

'_Examining the routes, young one?'_ Ner'zhul asked rather curiously, examining the map through his vessel. '_Hmm…perhaps other things need your attention at this moment…'_

Arthas sat up slightly straighter, his curiosity peaked. '_What kind of things?'_

'_Perhaps rest,'_ the Lich replied with a small chuckling tone to his disembodied voice. '_Or perhaps some form of relaxation; a break from your near endless squabbling over the excursion to Elemire.'_

'_Excursion?' _Arthas asked incredulously, his glinting eyes narrowing. He turned his head to look towards the open balcony doors. '_Why do you say such things about the quest which you put me up to? What do yo-'_

'_Arthas, Arthas…' _Ner'zhul breathed in his ear, his voice filled with amusement, and had the creature had a body Arthas realised he would be smiling. '_I jest, young prince; I simply mean that you need to rest yourself before the morrow. The journey shall be long and quite possibly you will encounter opposition on the way. You cannot forget that Illidan does still control the Naga.'_

Sighing, Arthas sat back, lowering his gaze back towards the map. '_…yes, I had not forgotten. But what shall I do about resting…it is nigh impossible, and I myself do not believe in meditation.'_

'_Hmm…'_ the Lich King contemplated, remaining silent for quite some time. When his answer came, it was somewhat cryptic. '_Then perhaps not 'rest' as it were; I do not mean simply resting your head, or sleep. I mean doing something other than planning for the trip away from the Frozen Throne…I believe that you should revisit Icecrown, Arthas. There are some things there that I wish to show you…'_

'…_What kind of things?' _Arthas asked, his curiosity once again peaked. '_Something useful, I hope?'_

Arthas had taken the bait, as he had expected. The Lich knew his vessel had heard that particular thought, but Arthas was by now used to thoughts such as that. '_Yes…very useful indeed,_' Ner'zhul replied. '_After all…perhaps you could use with some armour that matches your helm; the armour of a king.'_

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**12/02/13**

**HOLLY: **Please read and review! I just had a very long weekend, I'm extremely tired, and I only just managed to get this chapter on in time; I have to go to CLASS now and I just want to SLEEP! Make my day; help me keep myself awake with happy thoughts, knowing that my work is being read!

Just thought I'd mention it one more time! My updates will be in fortnights; this is on the condition that I get at least TEN reviews each new chapter. This number may…grow, hopefully as time goes on :) I need interest! It fuels my imagination!

I need some inspiration guys! Fuel my mind with reviews! I beg of you!

Thanks again!

**EDITED 29/02/13**- added better page breaks!


	7. Chapter 7 Across The Seas

**Name: **His Perfect Queen**  
>Author: <strong>HollyEmpire00  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (may change to M as the story progresses)

**Summary: **As his army prepares for war, Arthas must fight his own battle. With his heart, a lady and his destiny. Arthas/OC, angst! Reviews wanted!

**Warning: **Rated T for language (not so much), blood, some gore, character death, and overall theme. Warcraft Themes~!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own World of Warcraft, Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos or Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne (obviously~ If I did, I'd be like…supermegafoxyawesome rich!) . You think I'd be writing this if I did? No! Anyway, they belong to Blizzard Entertainment, the gods of MMORPG's. All of the things you don't know are mine, so characters, creatures, abilities, lands and places and buildings you don't know about are all mine~! =]

Thank you all so much for choosing to read this story, I really appreciate it. Reviews are welcome, flames are not (unless they're constructive), and I want feedback please!

**HOLLY: 29/02/13: **I apologise for the lateness of this chapter! I am so sorry I didn't have this up a few days ago, but I had some trouble with my files so that put me back a few days! I had to rewrite this, and I've had to cut it short! I actually had a TWELVE page chapter, but I lost all of my work; nearly my entire hard drive was erased, so I had to rewrite it. Unfortunately, I've only given you four pages…

However! I think they're good! We're about to get into the knitty-gritty next! Ooh, yay, won't that be fun! Also, you get to experience a new POV that I haven't used before in this story in this chapter! Get ready for some Lich thoughts!

I've also introduced some new page breaks, as I found that my other ones weren't working; I'm going to be going back to check them in each chapter so that may give easier reading.

Thank you all for your support! There wasn't as much as I was hoping…again. Which is sad; I hope for more reviews because I'm getting, on average, 100 reads per chapter each week.

It is a little disappointing not to get as many reviews…or ANY really. I got FOUR reviews last chapter…I feel unloved.

So; this chapter goes out to a man I will call Mr. R; he is an IT man at my school. He's a man sent by whatever god or deity there is; I swear it. Thank you, Mr. R. Without you; this chapter wouldn't have happened.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Chapter 7: Across The Seas…

The port was so bustling with a kind of unearthly silence that the undead seemed almost alive. They bumbled and they ran, most hurrying with the final preparations for the launching of the _Solitarius. _Anub'arak oversaw the proceedings; his great form turning from side to side to watch creatures, both large and small alike, moving to and fro. "The next lot of meat wagons, make your way onto the fourth ship, and be quick! Our lord means to depart within the hour!" An acolyte bowed lowly and scurried off to carry out the orders.

Anub'arak's pincers clicked together in slight excitement, and the carrion beetles around him gave small chitters, some falling from his hide and onto the hard wood of the great ship. He turned his gaze upwards as a gargoyle flew overhead, his great stone-leather wings extended as he glided upwards towards the crow's nest with a squawk. As the creature perched itself, it's wings folded and it became pure stone; watching over the scurrying undead below with sharp, golden eyes.

The Lich King would be arriving soon, and with him the departure of the fleet. Thirty ships to carry the main forces, a large number of the meat wagons and some of the abominations; six of these ships were devoted entirely to the flying infantry they possessed. A few of the Frost Wyrms had been commissioned to build a nest overnight on board one of the largest vessels, where they had been circling since. Three housed only gargoyles, entrenched in their stone form, ready for battle when needed. Five had been given to the larger of the Nerubian's, who Anub'arak had willingly given over for their master's cause. The rest of the ships held smaller crew members as workers.

Twenty smaller ships also housed the rest of the army moving with them; acolytes by the hundreds, even more ghouls and still more abominations, Cretans and smaller Nerubian's such as webspinners and seers. A few Obsidian Statues had been brought aboard the two of the smaller ships, kept for safekeeping should they need them. Near these statues had been built some ship-stables, as many a horse would be joining them on their journey; including their lord's steed; after all, should they need diplomacy within the lands of Elemire, the Lich would not be expected to walk if they did not desire.

They also devoted four smaller and two larger boats entirely to supplies. Their lord had been very explicit that his army should be kept strong and battle-ready.

Looking out over the docks, Anub'arak contemplated their forces. He spotted a flash of sharp, fell green amongst the darker colours of the Scourge and his eyes upon the young Lich, Calis Wraithson. Anub'arak could not help his thoughts from turning to the competence of the Kel'Thuzad's apprentices. He was not sure of their abilities, and while he knew that Kel'Thuzad was an ally, Anub'arak had personally never met him and so had no knowledge of his strengths, other than that which he had heard by rumour.

The green Lich turned and Anub'arak found himself faced with a disembodied green flame from within the swordsman's skull; the fire within those eyes almost determined. The fallen king straightened slightly, before he inclined his great head to the Lich, the carrion beetles on his back quickly skittering to follow suit. Calis returned his respectful inclination before he turned and started towards one of the other ships; directing acolytes with a firm tongue and steady hand.

The cutting call of a horn stopped all of the Nerubian's thoughts, and the crowds fell into an uproar as they began to move, hundreds of beings hurrying towards their posts, be it upon the ships of otherwise. The Lich King was descending, he was on his way.

Anub'arak straightened his back and stepped back slightly, readying himself for Arthas' arrival. He did not wish to look unsightly in the eyes of his master, especially when he would be away from the city. He knew it was his responsibility to keep the city's construction ahead of schedule; and have it completed for when their king returned. And when that time came, Anub'arak knew that the world would be under the Lich King's thumb.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

The streets parted to make way for his steed, his large, undead mount standing as tall and proud as she once had in life. Invincible had indeed made it through the battle of Icecrown; of this Arthas had been pleased. She had been brought to the steps of the fortress in the early morning, where the steed had waited there for hours before he had finally descended from the glacier once more.

Ner'zhul's advice had indeed proved fruitful; returning to the peak had given him a chance to explore the stairway, the pillar that was the peak of Northrend. Arthas had found many chambers, some hidden and some not so, within the structure; many of which held great treasures and artefacts. Some held more power than even Frostmourne.

Arthas had indeed found the armour forged for him; the armour of a true king. Steel forged from strongest ores of the northern realms, blasted into shape by the blistering wind itself before it was finally struck with a blacksmith's hammer. Each plate shone with a deep, imbedded glisten that could only come from the strongest of iron, the hottest of fires. The edges were sharp, while the design was sleek and covered him as if it was physically made for him. And Arthas supposed it was.

'_That it was indeed, young one,'_ Ner'zhul had murmured from the back of his mind upon his discovery of the apparel. '_I had known that one such as you would one day set me free…that one such as you would become one with my spirit. I could not simply leave you without armour, could I?' _Arthas had relented, somewhat surprised nonetheless.

Arthas spurred his steed forwards, and with a toss of her silver-black mane the mare advanced, the large crowds parting in front of them like waves pulled by the moon itself. Arthas could not help his proud smirk from behind his helmet as they proudly stalked towards the fleet. The sound of the horn blared within his ears once more, and the crowds broke out in roars and cheers.

Approaching the _Solitarius_, Arthas was met by the sight of his three new generals. Calis, Rak and Kali'nej had stationed themselves on the draw-board of the _Solitarius_, awaiting his arrival most obviously. He dismounted from Invincible and handed her to one of the larger ghouls, before he ascended to the deck of his flagship. The Lich bowed before him, their hoods falling low and their cloaks fluttering as they passed their arms over their chest respectfully.

"My liege, are you ready for departure?" The great, croaky voice of Anub'arak met his ears. Arthas turned his proud head to look across the deck. The Nerubian was bowed to one knee, an position of obvious discomfort for his massive frame, but he held it with ease. A sign of respect. Arthas nodded his head to him and flicked his hand, allowing him to stand.

"Yes," Arthas replied in a drawl, looking up towards the bow of the ship, before starting towards it. "Disembark now, Anub'arak…when next we meet, it will be in another time of celebration. A celebration of ultimate victory."

Anub'arak inclined his head once more, his pincers clicking together in excitement. He said his farewell to the Lich King, and said a simple blessing in Nerubian, before he did indeed disembark from the great vessel.

Hearing the fluttering of material, Arthas did not need to look to know that the Lich were by his side. Arthas' eyes narrowed from beneath his great helm and with a great flourish of his large cloak, made from the pelt of a massive white great wolf, he addressed his subjects.

HISPERFECTQUEEN

Calis watched and listened. The lord he served was indeed a great one; this had been obvious from the first moment in his presence; the man was a worthy vessel for Ner'zhul, and a person that he felt himself drawn to on principle. Lich were drawn to power; and the Lich King was the epitome of power.

Arthas, Calis recalled the name of the former prince, addressed the people with a tone of cool authority that somehow burned in its intensity. His voice was booming and impossible to ignore; and the sight of him, standing tall and proud, the armour of a king gleaming against his form, was enough to make even the largest of the scourge tremble before him.

Calis could feel the sharp presence of Kali-nej and Rak nearby, and relished in this fact. The three of them would prove themselves as worthy of serving their lord as Kel'Thuzad and Anub'arak, if not more so. Together, Calis knew that they would not disappoint.

So when the Lich King finished his address to the people, the three Lich bowed their heads slightly, before they rose to wait for their lord's command. The scourge roared and cheered for their master, their inhuman cries echoing across the icy landscape of Northrend. It would be enough to make a mortal's blood run as cold as the oceans below them.

"What is your will, my liege?" Calis spoke, his voice as calm and collected as he could manage. His excitement would not get the better of him; he would not be seen as too eager, nor childish in front of this man's eyes.

Arthas send his burning blue gaze across him, the glow from his iris seeming to intensify. After what felt like an age of silence, under the roars of the undead, the Lich King spoke.

"Launch the _Solitarius_. We sail for Elemire; and nothing shall stand in our way."

HISPERFECTQUEEN

**29/02/13**

**HOLLY: **Who can find the line I took from Warcraft 3? I've changed around the order of the words a little…but it's there!

**Free gift to the person who finds it! A gift 2000 word oneshot from me on Warcraft 3! Get looking, people!**

Also, read and review! Next chapter in two weeks!


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